Talks on to defuse Uttarakhand crisis: Bahuguna

The Congress high command is holding talks with the warring factions to defuse the crisis in the fledgling party-led government in Uttarakhand even as rebel leader Harak Singh Rawat rubbished media reports that he was offered the post of the Deputy Chief Minister.

“The talks are on,” embattled Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who faces the daunting task of winning the trust vote on the floor of the state assembly in the wake of revolt against his leadership, told PTI by telephone from Delhi.

Harak Singh Rawat, an MLA and a close confidant of sulking Union Minister Harish Rawat, an aspirant for the Chief Minister post, said though the talks are continuing, he was not sure about its positive outcome.

Asked whether the party high command could still consider a change of guard in the hill state, he said this possibility was ruled out.

When asked why he did not take oath as an MLA, Mr. Harak Singh Rawat said he was not in a hurry.

“I have been Minister and an MLA for so many years. I have seen all this and I am not in a hurry,” said Mr. Harak Singh Rawat who came to Dehra Dun on Saturday morning to see his ailing sister.

He denied media reports that he was being offered the post of the Deputy Chief Minister. “All these reports are wrong.”

On Friday, Mr. Bahuguna met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and said he was confident of resolving all differences with Mr. Harish Rawat.

Fourteen party MLAs, said to be loyal to Mr. Harish Rawat who revolted against the appointment of Mr. Bahuguna as CM, are yet to take oath.

Scores of Congress workers on Friday evening took out a candle march in Dehra Dun to show solidarity with Mr. Harish Rawat.

The Ministry expansion has been delayed due to internal feud in the ruling party.

Mr. Bahuguna took oath on Tuesday leaving Mr. Harish Rawat and his supporters fretting and fuming.